Athens Camp Caps Girls’ Training Push in HTTF Development Programme

The Hellenic Table Tennis Federation completed its Christmas Girls’ Training Camp on January 5 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Athens, concluding a four-day effort to accelerate development for young female players. The camp formed a component of the HTTF’s three-year development programme, supported by the European Table Tennis Union and the International Table Tennis Federation, and brought together 12 girls born between 2012 and 2015 who were chosen through the federation’s evaluation system.

Coaching at the camp blended technical table tennis sessions with broader athletic and life-skill activities. Former national champions and national-team assistant coaches led on-court work focused on strokes, footwork and match play patterns, while parallel sessions introduced kids’ athletics and Pilates to support strength and injury prevention. Organisers also included a first-aid briefing that covered cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators to ensure participant safety and empower young athletes with practical knowledge.

Exposure to role models and national-level coaching was a deliberate part of the schedule. Five members of Greece’s women’s national team joined the camp for a training day, giving attendees a chance to observe elite preparation and interact with current internationals. National coaches and former champions visited across the four days, and the programme incorporated an online contribution from Swedish federation coach Maria Christoforaki to share international best practice and training ideas.

The HTTF framed the camp as both a development and participation initiative, stressing fun and broad engagement as central aims for a future girls’ programme. By combining talent identification through the evaluation system with inclusive activities and practical skill sessions, the federation is creating a pathway that values long-term athlete development as well as immediate enjoyment of the sport.

For local clubs and parents, the camp offers a model of what combined technical training and athlete welfare looks like at the grassroots level. The initiative highlights the benefits of mixed programming—technical coaching supplemented by cross-training and first-aid education—and signals that the HTTF’s three-year plan will continue to prioritize youth development with links to the national team. Expect similar camps and expanded girls’ initiatives as the federation moves forward with its development calendar.